I Worked There Too

One more story about my bizarre competitive streak...

Sometimes the husband and I will be in the car with the oldies (a situation I like about as much as I would like to go to a bird sanctuary) and we can see his office building from many points in the city. He always says, "That's my office building."

I worked there too.

I used to work for a local bank. It was the 80s when the country went through many bank mergers and acquisitions. We became a regional bank.

Our chairman and CEO was a stoic and somber man. If I saw him headed for the elevator, I waited for the next one. If I had to meet with him or (Oh No!) make a presentation to him, I spent some serious time in the restroom psyching myself up. He was terribly accomplished in business and he won Olympic medals in swimming. But, he never smiled and I was terrified of him.

In the midst of all the industry changes, my company was building a new skyscraper. The CEO referred to it as, "A monument to management." It was his brainchild and his monument to a city he loved. He died years later on a mission for our city. A tragic but fitting end for a person who took his civic duties very seriously. It was a private plane crash while he was traveling to another city to discuss possible civic improvements.

Just a little history... Our city has grown and changed tremendously in the last few decades. The Monument to Management changed our baby skyline. The building is beautiful inside and out. How do I know?

I worked there too.

While the building process was going on, I was Director of Advertising. I coordinated press conferences and media events. I donned many a hard hat and led people through tours. I could spout statistics about the architects, the builders, the amount of steel, the construction timetable, etc. I memorized it all.

Now the husband works in that building. He moved his company there a few years ago. I rarely go to the husband's office. (I think people who hang out in their spouses' offices need to get a life.) But, occasionally I will meet him for lunch or at the end of the day. Sometimes I have business with someone in his company so I have a reason to be there. I do love going in that building. I'm flooded with nostalgia.

The husband might consider it his building.

I worked there first.